What do you think?
Rate this book
Knife River
When Jess was thirteen her mother went for a walk and never returned. Jess and her older sister Liz never found out what happened. Instead, they did what they hoped their mother would do: survive. As soon as she was old enough, Jess fled their small town of Knife River, wandering from girlfriend to girlfriend like a ghost in her own life, aimless in her attempts to outrun grief and confusion. But one morning fifteen years later she gets the call she’s been bracing herself for: Her mother's remains have been found.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2024
About the author
Justine Champine
2 books127 followersJustine Champine’s short fiction has appeared in The Kenyon Review, Epoch, and The Los Angeles Review of Books. She holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College, and is a founding member of No Tokens Journal. Knife River is her first novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
May 28, 2024
This book delves into the heart-wrenching journey of Jess and her sister, Liz, who are haunted by the mysterious disappearance of their mother when they were young. Their lives have been marked by grief and an unending quest for answers. Jess, trying to escape the shadows of her past, has lived a nomadic existence, drifting from one relationship to another. However, a fateful call changes everything: their mother's remains have been discovered.
Returning to their small town of Knife River, Jess is confronted with a place suspended in time, where Liz remains fixated on unsolved missing persons cases. What was supposed to be a brief visit to find closure only deepens the mystery. The long-exposed bones raise more questions than answers, and Jess is drawn into the enigma of her mother's disappearance. Along the way, she rekindles a relationship with her high school girlfriend, adding layers of complexity to her understanding of the past and the people in her life.
This novel is a poignant exploration of the imperfect but profound bonds that women share—be it in romantic relationships, intergenerational friendships, or the unique sisterly connection. The story unfurls with tension and intimacy, painting a vivid picture of the complexity of love and loss.
However, while the novel offers a touching perspective on the impact of a mother's disappearance on her daughters, I have mixed feelings about it. I found the narrative disjointed and hard to follow. The interplay between the investigation and Jess's romantic relationships left some feeling disconnected. The story meandered in places, making it challenging to maintain engagement. The characters, notably Jess, resonated with a few readers, but the lack of clarity in the point of view and the pacing left others feeling disconnected from the narrative.
Overall, "Knife River" offers a thought-provoking exploration of the enduring bonds between women, wrapped in a tapestry of mystery and loss. While it carries a profound emotional weight, it may not resonate with me due to its narrative structure and pacing.
I eventually settled on giving it a solid three stars, with the thought that this story could be told more effectively, which might have helped me empathize more with the characters.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group/ Dial Press for providing me this digital reviewer copy in exchange my honest feedback.
Returning to their small town of Knife River, Jess is confronted with a place suspended in time, where Liz remains fixated on unsolved missing persons cases. What was supposed to be a brief visit to find closure only deepens the mystery. The long-exposed bones raise more questions than answers, and Jess is drawn into the enigma of her mother's disappearance. Along the way, she rekindles a relationship with her high school girlfriend, adding layers of complexity to her understanding of the past and the people in her life.
This novel is a poignant exploration of the imperfect but profound bonds that women share—be it in romantic relationships, intergenerational friendships, or the unique sisterly connection. The story unfurls with tension and intimacy, painting a vivid picture of the complexity of love and loss.
However, while the novel offers a touching perspective on the impact of a mother's disappearance on her daughters, I have mixed feelings about it. I found the narrative disjointed and hard to follow. The interplay between the investigation and Jess's romantic relationships left some feeling disconnected. The story meandered in places, making it challenging to maintain engagement. The characters, notably Jess, resonated with a few readers, but the lack of clarity in the point of view and the pacing left others feeling disconnected from the narrative.
Overall, "Knife River" offers a thought-provoking exploration of the enduring bonds between women, wrapped in a tapestry of mystery and loss. While it carries a profound emotional weight, it may not resonate with me due to its narrative structure and pacing.
I eventually settled on giving it a solid three stars, with the thought that this story could be told more effectively, which might have helped me empathize more with the characters.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group/ Dial Press for providing me this digital reviewer copy in exchange my honest feedback.
May 26, 2024
This was a very interesting debut mystery. The writing was unique and I can’t tell if it is the writer’s style or it was based on the odd personality of the main character. This mystery was a slow burn and while I can appreciate a slow burn sometimes, this was slow to the point of me struggling to stay focused on this book. The beginning was wonderful and I liked the ending even if I personally didn’t find everything to be as satisfying as it could have been. Jess was a child when her mother went out for a walk and never came back. This greatly changed the lives of both Jess and her sister Liz. While Jess left Knife River as soon as she could Liz stayed and has tried to push for a resolution to their mother’s assumed death. The book starts with Liz calling Jess to let her know they found bones and they think it’s their mother. This brings Jess home and a lot of the book focuses on her relationship with the town, herself, her trauma and alcohol. The book was interesting but not was I expecting. I definitely am curious at what this author will do next.
June 28, 2024
2024 Pride Month
Small town crime gets me every time. In these homogenous places where you leave your doors unlocked and supposedly trust your neighbors, can you trust your neighbors?
Years ago, Jess and Liz's mother went for a walk and never returned. She is presumed missing, possibly dead. Fifteen years later, her remains have been found, and Jess finds herself returning to a northeastern town she isn't sorry to have left.
Jess clearly suffers from abandonment issues. She floats from girlfriend to girlfriend, bringing one bag worth of stuff with her every time she moves. She doesn't sign leases. She just bounces.
Liz suffers differently. She remains in the town she was born in, in their dilapidated family home. She has had one serious relationship, that she ended when he tried to get too close to her.
For most of the book, Liz and a family friend are convinced one party is to blame for their mother's death. He's the obvious choice. He's a drunk. He is known to hurt women. Society fails women as they ignore this behavior from men. It's a very "boys will be boys" scenario. Side note, if I ever hear someone say this irl, I will push back.
So the killer isn't who we think it is. And I won't spoil you, but that idea of trust comes into play again. Where are you safest? In the small town you grew up in, surrounded by everyone you know, or think you know? Or in the big city you move to, where you know no one, and don't care to? Food for thought.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press
Small town crime gets me every time. In these homogenous places where you leave your doors unlocked and supposedly trust your neighbors, can you trust your neighbors?
Years ago, Jess and Liz's mother went for a walk and never returned. She is presumed missing, possibly dead. Fifteen years later, her remains have been found, and Jess finds herself returning to a northeastern town she isn't sorry to have left.
Jess clearly suffers from abandonment issues. She floats from girlfriend to girlfriend, bringing one bag worth of stuff with her every time she moves. She doesn't sign leases. She just bounces.
Liz suffers differently. She remains in the town she was born in, in their dilapidated family home. She has had one serious relationship, that she ended when he tried to get too close to her.
For most of the book, Liz and a family friend are convinced one party is to blame for their mother's death. He's the obvious choice. He's a drunk. He is known to hurt women. Society fails women as they ignore this behavior from men. It's a very "boys will be boys" scenario. Side note, if I ever hear someone say this irl, I will push back.
So the killer isn't who we think it is. And I won't spoil you, but that idea of trust comes into play again. Where are you safest? In the small town you grew up in, surrounded by everyone you know, or think you know? Or in the big city you move to, where you know no one, and don't care to? Food for thought.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press
June 12, 2024
The things I loved about this novel, I loved fiercely. It’s a gorgeous literary thriller, with pieces of writing so shockingly beautiful, I didn’t know what to do with myself after reading them.
But when I hit the 60% mark and I still had no idea where the story was going, it became hard to sit with. It’s a slow burn, is what I’m trying to say, and I think one should know that, going in.
I think it’s worth sticking out until the end, because it’s satisfying in more than one regard.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy in exchange for a review!
But when I hit the 60% mark and I still had no idea where the story was going, it became hard to sit with. It’s a slow burn, is what I’m trying to say, and I think one should know that, going in.
I think it’s worth sticking out until the end, because it’s satisfying in more than one regard.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy in exchange for a review!
April 4, 2024
Our protagonist, Jess, tells us the story of her mother’s disappearance when she was a child as she’s taking us back to the sad little town she grew up in. We meet her sister Liz, who’s been frozen in time since the day her mother left. The home, the decor, the dishes, everything is exactly as it was when the sisters’ hearts were broken. They knew their mother loved them. She was beautiful, free spirited, and strong willed. And they know in their hearts that she’s dead.
They’re brought back together when their mother’s bones are found. It reignites the burning desire in Jess to understand who did this, who committed this heinous crime. Jess and Liz have such different personalities, though. They literally circle each other like prey. Liz wants to keep her head down. Jess wants to scream to the mountains. As these two coexist in their childhood home, so many burned bridges are rebuilt. Yes, a crime needs to be solved, but the story of Jess and Liz is told in bare bones, suffer through it, raw words. This is an excellent emotional read with depth and color.
Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group, Dial Press, for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is May 28, 2024.
They’re brought back together when their mother’s bones are found. It reignites the burning desire in Jess to understand who did this, who committed this heinous crime. Jess and Liz have such different personalities, though. They literally circle each other like prey. Liz wants to keep her head down. Jess wants to scream to the mountains. As these two coexist in their childhood home, so many burned bridges are rebuilt. Yes, a crime needs to be solved, but the story of Jess and Liz is told in bare bones, suffer through it, raw words. This is an excellent emotional read with depth and color.
Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group, Dial Press, for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is May 28, 2024.
June 21, 2024
not much of a mystery, i guessed who was involved when they first appeared on page, & the mc/sister's insistence on a random other dude with absolutely no evidence only served to irritate
Rep: lesbian mc & li
CWs: lesbophobia, death of a parent
Rep: lesbian mc & li
CWs: lesbophobia, death of a parent
June 3, 2024
I have mixed feelings people!! I don’t like the way it ended! I literally bawled. Tears are still slowly sliding down my face.
This book has gotten to be one of the brilliantly written debut I’ve read in a long time. The intelligent writing had me drawn in from the first paragraph detailing the main character’s life to the ending. This isn’t just about trying to solve a case or finding the sisters’ mother. The is the story of an awkward sister love, redemption, forgiveness, understanding, compassion and perspective. This is about building a bridge between two sisters after being estranged for over fifteen years and do they have the courage to find themselves and start over after their mother’s bones discovery. Will there be a justice after all. Depending on how you look at it after you finish this book…..This story will haunt me for years to come because of my personal experiences.
Four and half stars from me.
Thank you, Dial Press and NetGalley for allowing me read this wonderful eARC. As usual, all of my reviews are purely my own opinions without any influence from any publisher
This book has gotten to be one of the brilliantly written debut I’ve read in a long time. The intelligent writing had me drawn in from the first paragraph detailing the main character’s life to the ending. This isn’t just about trying to solve a case or finding the sisters’ mother. The is the story of an awkward sister love, redemption, forgiveness, understanding, compassion and perspective. This is about building a bridge between two sisters after being estranged for over fifteen years and do they have the courage to find themselves and start over after their mother’s bones discovery. Will there be a justice after all. Depending on how you look at it after you finish this book…..This story will haunt me for years to come because of my personal experiences.
Four and half stars from me.
Thank you, Dial Press and NetGalley for allowing me read this wonderful eARC. As usual, all of my reviews are purely my own opinions without any influence from any publisher
April 29, 2024
3.5 rounded up. I enjoyed but this def won’t be for everyone- more of a veryyyy slow burn and a character study of the daughter whose mother disappeared 15 years ago. Lots of descriptions of the settings and the extremely dilapidated town she grew up in. Very very character driven but I liked it.
December 12, 2023
Aww, I’m going to miss spending time with some of these characters! Hmm…Knife River might be one of my favorite books I’ve read this year, and it might be one to re-read. I think it will appeal to a wide audience. It’s actually hard to think of a reader I *wouldn’t* recommend this to, but I hope/expect that Knife River will see a lot of love from literary fiction fans in particular. It’s lovely and emotional and — oh!, ha! — one delightfully hilarious little passage cracked me up, in the dark, while reading at 1am. I am already eager to read whatever Justine Champine creates next! Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for the DRC of Knife River, which I requested after seeing it praised by an author I admire. Publishes May 28, 2024.
November 19, 2023
A gritty story of a young woman still reeling from her mother's disappearance when she was young.
Jess comes home to her failing small town against her will and teams up with her controlling sister Liz to try and get to the bottom of what happen to their mother many years ago.
A complex story, Knife River will cause you to question relationships, memories and family.
Jess comes home to her failing small town against her will and teams up with her controlling sister Liz to try and get to the bottom of what happen to their mother many years ago.
A complex story, Knife River will cause you to question relationships, memories and family.
February 11, 2024
Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Its been Jess and her sister most of her life. Her mom went missing many years ago. When they return home many years later. Little has changed in the town. This book was well written.
May 15, 2024
As a bona fide mystery/thriller snob, I was super impressed with KNIFE RIVER as both a debut novel and literary thriller. The writing style was accomplished, and the narrative structure so solid; the slow pace of the action allowed for a deep dissection of Jess and Liz's relationship and their diverting approaches to dealing with their mother's unsolved disappearance, all while maintaining the grittiness and bleakness running like an undercurrent through the narrative's bones.
That said, I did have occasional trouble visualising the setting, which might have been forgivable if the town didn't have the same name as the book; and I was frustrated by Jess's romance with Eva, which in my opinion really detracted from her character development as the book (and their relationship) progressed.
Also, in addition to being a snob, I am someone for whom books can, quite dramatically, live or die by their endings, and I just wasn't satisfied with this one. I had already prepared to not find out what happened to the girls' mother by the end of the book, because as tends to be the case with literary thrillers, the mystery isn't quite the point, it's everything else happening around it—so, when we *did* find out what happened, in the final chapters, it felt like a throwaway, an appeasement that sort of diminished what had come before it. I would have preferred not to know.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
That said, I did have occasional trouble visualising the setting, which might have been forgivable if the town didn't have the same name as the book; and I was frustrated by Jess's romance with Eva, which in my opinion really detracted from her character development as the book (and their relationship) progressed.
Also, in addition to being a snob, I am someone for whom books can, quite dramatically, live or die by their endings, and I just wasn't satisfied with this one. I had already prepared to not find out what happened to the girls' mother by the end of the book, because as tends to be the case with literary thrillers, the mystery isn't quite the point, it's everything else happening around it—so, when we *did* find out what happened, in the final chapters, it felt like a throwaway, an appeasement that sort of diminished what had come before it. I would have preferred not to know.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
March 4, 2024
A compelling story of family, home, and the bond between sisters that asks: Who do you believe when you can't even trust yourself?
I almost missed my Sunday Spotlight 😵💫
This Sunday goes out to the beautiful, Justine Champine.
Somehow I ended up getting my greedy little paws on Knife River and I devoured every last bit of this soon to be bestseller
Champine, not only knows how to spin a murderous tale of deceit but she also includes quite a bit of twists.
Now, I know all of you are incredibly anxious to get your hands on Knife River and all I can do is promise you, it is about to blow your mind and exceed expectations .
Through years of spending hours upon hours with my nose buried in books I have been pickier with my ratings . Knife River is an EASY 5 star
I’ve become a huge fan of Justine Champine, with just having read Knife River. This is the beautiful start to our “book-ship” of sorts.
ready for the wild part? This is a debut!!! ♥️
Teaser:
When Jess was thirteen, her mother went for a walk and never returned. Jess and her older sister, Liz, never found out what happened. Instead, they did what they hoped their mother had done: survive. As soon as she was old enough, Jess fled their small town of Knife River, wandering from girlfriend to girlfriend like a ghost in her own life, aimless in her attempts to outrun grief and confusion. But one morning, fifteen years after their mother’s disappearance, she gets the call she’s been bracing for: Her mother’s remains have been found.
Jess returns to find Knife River—and her sister—frozen in time. The town is as claustrophobic and rundown as ever. Liz still lives in their childhood home and has become obsessed with unsolved missing persons cases. Jess plans to stay only until they get some answers, but their mother’s bones, exposed to the elements for so long, just leave them with more questions. As Jess gets caught up in the case and falls back into an entanglement with her high school girlfriend, her understanding of the past, of Liz, of their mother, and of herself become more complicated—and the list of theories more ominous.
Knife River is a tense, intimate, and heartrending portrayal of how deeply and imperfectly women love one another: in romantic relationships, in friendships, and especially as sisters.
I almost missed my Sunday Spotlight 😵💫
This Sunday goes out to the beautiful, Justine Champine.
Somehow I ended up getting my greedy little paws on Knife River and I devoured every last bit of this soon to be bestseller
Champine, not only knows how to spin a murderous tale of deceit but she also includes quite a bit of twists.
Now, I know all of you are incredibly anxious to get your hands on Knife River and all I can do is promise you, it is about to blow your mind and exceed expectations .
Through years of spending hours upon hours with my nose buried in books I have been pickier with my ratings . Knife River is an EASY 5 star
I’ve become a huge fan of Justine Champine, with just having read Knife River. This is the beautiful start to our “book-ship” of sorts.
ready for the wild part? This is a debut!!! ♥️
Teaser:
When Jess was thirteen, her mother went for a walk and never returned. Jess and her older sister, Liz, never found out what happened. Instead, they did what they hoped their mother had done: survive. As soon as she was old enough, Jess fled their small town of Knife River, wandering from girlfriend to girlfriend like a ghost in her own life, aimless in her attempts to outrun grief and confusion. But one morning, fifteen years after their mother’s disappearance, she gets the call she’s been bracing for: Her mother’s remains have been found.
Jess returns to find Knife River—and her sister—frozen in time. The town is as claustrophobic and rundown as ever. Liz still lives in their childhood home and has become obsessed with unsolved missing persons cases. Jess plans to stay only until they get some answers, but their mother’s bones, exposed to the elements for so long, just leave them with more questions. As Jess gets caught up in the case and falls back into an entanglement with her high school girlfriend, her understanding of the past, of Liz, of their mother, and of herself become more complicated—and the list of theories more ominous.
Knife River is a tense, intimate, and heartrending portrayal of how deeply and imperfectly women love one another: in romantic relationships, in friendships, and especially as sisters.
June 22, 2024
Knife River is Justine Champine’s debut novel. And I must say, I hope she writes more novels, because I’m a fan. I love her writing style and the characters were extremely realistic.
You may see the 3.something average rating on Good Reads and wonder why that is. I’m assuming it’s because one of the genres for this book is listed as thriller. This is not a thriller, not one ounce. This is a literary fiction, family drama, with a hint of mystery.
This book is about two sisters navigating their grief over the loss of their mother. Their mother went missing when they were 13 & 19 years of age, her remains are then found 15 years later. For me, the story was more about the sisters coping with how to live life after their mother’s disappearance, as well as coming back together after spending years (about 10) being apart as adults. Second to the sister’s relationship, we find them trying to piece together what happened to their mother. We get a cast of characters in the small town of Knife River of who it might possibly be.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Would recommend. 4.25-4.5⭐️
You may see the 3.something average rating on Good Reads and wonder why that is. I’m assuming it’s because one of the genres for this book is listed as thriller. This is not a thriller, not one ounce. This is a literary fiction, family drama, with a hint of mystery.
This book is about two sisters navigating their grief over the loss of their mother. Their mother went missing when they were 13 & 19 years of age, her remains are then found 15 years later. For me, the story was more about the sisters coping with how to live life after their mother’s disappearance, as well as coming back together after spending years (about 10) being apart as adults. Second to the sister’s relationship, we find them trying to piece together what happened to their mother. We get a cast of characters in the small town of Knife River of who it might possibly be.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Would recommend. 4.25-4.5⭐️
June 19, 2024
A true crime/murder mystery debut featuring two estranged sisters, one of whom comes home when the remains of their mother are discovered, reopening her unsolved cold case and causing problems for the partner they left behind. I liked that there was a queer couple at the center of this story and thought it was well-paced but I wasn't truly captivated like I wanted to be while listening to this as an audiobook. Just an okay read for me, not one I would go out of my way to recommend though sadly. To be fair to the author, this could have just been a not loving the narrator thing or a wrong mood while listening thing on my part.
July 9, 2024
Decent with an interesting twist at the end. I did enjoy the characters and the fact that Jess' sexual orientation wasn't a main focus of the story. Rather than this being a "coming out" story, it revolved around her relationship with her sister and their very different memories of their mother. I found it refreshing to see her challenges shown just like everyone else... No better, no worse. Maybe normalized is the right word?
Overall this story was a bit long winded for me. Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
Overall this story was a bit long winded for me. Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
February 29, 2024
A slow burn, atmospheric story of two sisters, who for more than a decade take different paths to cope with their mother's disappearance but ultimately come together to try to solve the case of what happened when they were 13 and 19 years old. Jess, the younger sister, escapes the small town of Knife River but not her fears and the self-loathing that came with deserting her older sister to face their shared demons alone. Liz stayed, trying to solve the case and get closure, living every day in fear of the suspected killer Nick Haines. Her lonely, boring lifestyle as a bank teller gave her solace while she remained in their childhood home, stoking a lingering hope that she would be there to welcome her mother if she ever returned.
A murder mystery at its surface, this is really a layered story about sisterhood, imperfect women, friendships, love and how shifting memories can shape and reshape the legacy of those we think we know and love. The beautiful, and often haunting writing makes the reader feel like they are living every day with Liz and Jess in their has-been, factory town that has been virtually frozen in time.
With Knife River, the reader is taken on a slow, redemptive journey with Liz and Jess, one that is both powerful and immersive until the very last page. Thanks to Net Galley, and The Dial Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.
A murder mystery at its surface, this is really a layered story about sisterhood, imperfect women, friendships, love and how shifting memories can shape and reshape the legacy of those we think we know and love. The beautiful, and often haunting writing makes the reader feel like they are living every day with Liz and Jess in their has-been, factory town that has been virtually frozen in time.
With Knife River, the reader is taken on a slow, redemptive journey with Liz and Jess, one that is both powerful and immersive until the very last page. Thanks to Net Galley, and The Dial Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.
February 10, 2024
2.5 Stars- I had high hopes for this book because it was set in Northern NY and I spent a lot of time there when I was younger. I thought the author did capture aspects of what the landscape and culture was like. However while reading this book I felt like there was a dark cloud over everything. Ultimately this book just made me feel sad and depressed. I felt bad for both Jess and Liz. The unexplained death of their mother has weighed heavy on both of them and shaped their ability to have healthy relationships. I thought that things would move a little quicker with the mystery and the reader would find out a little sooner or at least get more details about what happened to their mother. I did enjoy the love triangle relationship in the book but overall this was not the book for me. I just did not connect with either character and felt the pace of the book was a little too slow for me. I do think others might enjoy this story especially if they like a slower build up and crime style novels.
Thank you to The Dial Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
Thank you to The Dial Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
March 2, 2024
I really loved this slow burn but always gripping story of two sisters grappling with the discovery of the bones of their mother, who went missing 15 years ago when they were in their teens. Beautiful writing, richly drawn characters, and keen observations really distinguish this one, as well as a thoroughly satisfying conclusion.
May 27, 2024
Knife River by Justine Champine. Thanks to @thedialpress for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jess was thirteen when her mother went missing. Her and her older sister, Liz, never found out what happened. Jess left town and wanders from relationship to relationship. Now, remains have been found and Jess goes back to Knife River.
This story is a slow burn but an in-depth character study. While a missing person story, the book takes place fifteen years later and shows how the two sisters, and the town, were affected by the events. This may not be for everyone, as it’s a very quiet book, but it’s also very genuine, and emotional.
“For fifteen years, I’d imagined this exact moment. I thought it would crash into me like a great wave, lifting the dam on a lifetime of anger and fear and wondering. It was wondering that ate me from the inside - there was no refuge, no depth of dreaming that could stifle it.”
Knife River comes out 5/28.
Jess was thirteen when her mother went missing. Her and her older sister, Liz, never found out what happened. Jess left town and wanders from relationship to relationship. Now, remains have been found and Jess goes back to Knife River.
This story is a slow burn but an in-depth character study. While a missing person story, the book takes place fifteen years later and shows how the two sisters, and the town, were affected by the events. This may not be for everyone, as it’s a very quiet book, but it’s also very genuine, and emotional.
“For fifteen years, I’d imagined this exact moment. I thought it would crash into me like a great wave, lifting the dam on a lifetime of anger and fear and wondering. It was wondering that ate me from the inside - there was no refuge, no depth of dreaming that could stifle it.”
Knife River comes out 5/28.
June 7, 2024
Fifteen years later, Jess gets the phone call she has been dreading. Her missing mother's body has been found. Heading back to her hometown, Jess along with her sister Liz, are determined to find out what happened.
This debut book was pretty good. I found myself quite interested in the story of the girl's mother and was keen to know why she disappeared. I loved getting to know the two sisters with their different personalities. I did feel that the story did stagnate a little in the middle and maybe in this way, it might have been a little longer than it needed to be. I don't normally go for slow burn thrillers but with this mystery, I felt the slow buildup helped. It was a shame the story didn't keep developing throughout. Overall though, this was a decent read. I am eager to see what the author writes next.
This debut book was pretty good. I found myself quite interested in the story of the girl's mother and was keen to know why she disappeared. I loved getting to know the two sisters with their different personalities. I did feel that the story did stagnate a little in the middle and maybe in this way, it might have been a little longer than it needed to be. I don't normally go for slow burn thrillers but with this mystery, I felt the slow buildup helped. It was a shame the story didn't keep developing throughout. Overall though, this was a decent read. I am eager to see what the author writes next.
May 20, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This is my honest review.
The fact that these queer books keep coming out in genres I've never been able to read queer books in just makes my heart sing.
A MURDER MYSTERY novel with a lesbian main character! I didn't believe it when I heard about this book, and having finished it, I'm still surprised it happened. For everyone that grew up reading mysteries but wished for more representation in the characters, that wanted one where the queer character wasn't on the side or a symbol of tragedy, this book is for you.
It is emotional, heart wrenching, beautiful, and interesting. It's a story about recovering from loss, finding oneself, and the part that surprised me the most, a strained relationship between sisters. They've been through such horrible heartbreak in their youth, and with their murdered mother's bones finally discovered, all that past pain comes rushing to the surface.
Do not miss this book!
The fact that these queer books keep coming out in genres I've never been able to read queer books in just makes my heart sing.
A MURDER MYSTERY novel with a lesbian main character! I didn't believe it when I heard about this book, and having finished it, I'm still surprised it happened. For everyone that grew up reading mysteries but wished for more representation in the characters, that wanted one where the queer character wasn't on the side or a symbol of tragedy, this book is for you.
It is emotional, heart wrenching, beautiful, and interesting. It's a story about recovering from loss, finding oneself, and the part that surprised me the most, a strained relationship between sisters. They've been through such horrible heartbreak in their youth, and with their murdered mother's bones finally discovered, all that past pain comes rushing to the surface.
Do not miss this book!
June 17, 2024
This book focuses on two sisters and the aftermath of their mothers mysterious disappearance, and how it's shaped their lives.
When a body is found they come together to dig up the past, and hope to find the answers they've been searching for over the last 15 years.
It explored their grief and family dynamics, alongside the small town drama and gossip, and police investigation.
I'd say it was more of a slow burn crime mystery than a typical thriller, but it had interesting twists especially in the final chapters.
It explored the flaws in the characters well, and how Jess and Liz were complete opposites but just wanted the truth. Her relationship was Eva was interesting too, and I like the nods at the end.
When a body is found they come together to dig up the past, and hope to find the answers they've been searching for over the last 15 years.
It explored their grief and family dynamics, alongside the small town drama and gossip, and police investigation.
I'd say it was more of a slow burn crime mystery than a typical thriller, but it had interesting twists especially in the final chapters.
It explored the flaws in the characters well, and how Jess and Liz were complete opposites but just wanted the truth. Her relationship was Eva was interesting too, and I like the nods at the end.
June 10, 2024
‘Knife River’ is pretty heart wrenching in places and I felt so sorry for Jess spending all those years not knowing what happened to her mother. This novel is a real slow burn. It’s thought provoking and interesting. The characters are complex and layered and I will be thinking of this novel for a while after finishing it.
I’d recommend ‘Knife River’ to readers who like slow burn, character driven mysteries.
I received a gifted copy of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and written voluntarily.
I’d recommend ‘Knife River’ to readers who like slow burn, character driven mysteries.
I received a gifted copy of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and written voluntarily.
May 28, 2024
Thanks to the publisher, via Netgalley, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
This one is definitely a slow burn, and I think readers going into this should know that it's more literary mystery than a page-turning, action based story. It's very internal as Jess discovers more about her hometown, her sister, and the other people who have stayed in Knife River in the years since she's left. A steady build to a solid ending, and definitely well written.
This one is definitely a slow burn, and I think readers going into this should know that it's more literary mystery than a page-turning, action based story. It's very internal as Jess discovers more about her hometown, her sister, and the other people who have stayed in Knife River in the years since she's left. A steady build to a solid ending, and definitely well written.
June 10, 2024
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the premise of this story! It’s about a girl returning to her hometown to see her sister after being gone for many years. They had a difficult childhood since their mother disappeared when they were young and they struggled to fend for themselves. Suspicions also emerged regarding their mother’s disappearance and subsequent murder. I found it intriguing and thought provoking, and it was beautifully written. I would recommend to anyone who likes mysteries and family drama!
I really enjoyed the premise of this story! It’s about a girl returning to her hometown to see her sister after being gone for many years. They had a difficult childhood since their mother disappeared when they were young and they struggled to fend for themselves. Suspicions also emerged regarding their mother’s disappearance and subsequent murder. I found it intriguing and thought provoking, and it was beautifully written. I would recommend to anyone who likes mysteries and family drama!
June 5, 2024
Wowwwwwwowoow. VERY slow burn but goddamn does Champine knows how to write. Her prose. 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼
Review:
What a slow and beautiful burn. Champine's Knife River explores the relationship between Jess and her sister Liz following the discovery of their mother's remains years after her mysterious disappearance. Both sisters' lives have been upended by grief in different ways: Jess left her hometown as soon as she cold, only to find herself jumping from relationship to relationship; Liz still lives in their childhood home, working as a bank teller, her only friend an elderly customer.
Champine focuses on the imperfect relationships between women and complex and differing perspectives of the impact of grief. At times her writing was difficult to follow: there seemed to be a lot of moving parts that felt disjointed, and it was difficult to connect with Jess as a character. That being said, I still found myself racing through the pages, hoping to unravel the mystery alongside these imperfect women.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review:
What a slow and beautiful burn. Champine's Knife River explores the relationship between Jess and her sister Liz following the discovery of their mother's remains years after her mysterious disappearance. Both sisters' lives have been upended by grief in different ways: Jess left her hometown as soon as she cold, only to find herself jumping from relationship to relationship; Liz still lives in their childhood home, working as a bank teller, her only friend an elderly customer.
Champine focuses on the imperfect relationships between women and complex and differing perspectives of the impact of grief. At times her writing was difficult to follow: there seemed to be a lot of moving parts that felt disjointed, and it was difficult to connect with Jess as a character. That being said, I still found myself racing through the pages, hoping to unravel the mystery alongside these imperfect women.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2024
Painfully slow. Maybe it was just me, but I spotted the culprit very early on.
February 17, 2024
From the very first page I was curious to find out what was going on. During the first few chapters more information about the disappearance of their mother was slowly revealed. However that didn't last that long.
Most of the book was about the main character trying to navigate in a world while not really knowing herself. The book takes time to explain how certain characters work and why they are the way they are. It felt like the mystery itself wasn't the main focus of this book. The story mostly talked about how people deal with such a mystery.
Reading how two sisters dealt with a disappearance of their mom and the grief it brought along sure was an interesting take for both had their very own beliefs and theories. I really liked how different they dealt with thinks. That isn't always highlighted in books.
I did feel confused by the timeline in this book. Scenes ended abruptly and then the next chapter could be weeks later without a clear connection. It made me feel like I was reading random snippets of a bigger story. For some reason some character's also immediately knew when the MC was hiding something. All of it felt a bit too convenient to me.
I am also not a fan of the smut scenes in this book. Things felt chaotic so it was hard to follow what was happening. For example, some erotic things were briefly mentioned then you'd read a lot of deep thoughts from within the main character's mind before being thrown back into the smut scene.
The ending was well done and while I think this book wasn't meant for me I am glad I did finish it because the ending did serve the tension I would expect from a thriller.
So if you are a fan of reading how characters deal with the grief and sadness that comes along with losing a loved one that went missing, then this might be the book for you!
I was giving a chance to read this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to The Dial Press, Justine Champine and Katy Nishimoto!
Most of the book was about the main character trying to navigate in a world while not really knowing herself. The book takes time to explain how certain characters work and why they are the way they are. It felt like the mystery itself wasn't the main focus of this book. The story mostly talked about how people deal with such a mystery.
Reading how two sisters dealt with a disappearance of their mom and the grief it brought along sure was an interesting take for both had their very own beliefs and theories. I really liked how different they dealt with thinks. That isn't always highlighted in books.
I did feel confused by the timeline in this book. Scenes ended abruptly and then the next chapter could be weeks later without a clear connection. It made me feel like I was reading random snippets of a bigger story. For some reason some character's also immediately knew when the MC was hiding something. All of it felt a bit too convenient to me.
I am also not a fan of the smut scenes in this book. Things felt chaotic so it was hard to follow what was happening. For example, some erotic things were briefly mentioned then you'd read a lot of deep thoughts from within the main character's mind before being thrown back into the smut scene.
The ending was well done and while I think this book wasn't meant for me I am glad I did finish it because the ending did serve the tension I would expect from a thriller.
So if you are a fan of reading how characters deal with the grief and sadness that comes along with losing a loved one that went missing, then this might be the book for you!
I was giving a chance to read this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to The Dial Press, Justine Champine and Katy Nishimoto!
February 2, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and The Dial Press for this ARC. I thought this book was a crime thriller but it primarily centers around a family tragedy and how it's impacted two sisters. I found the book to drag and felt it didn't have a clear focus. Every time I thought it would zero in on something it then veered off in another direction. I was more than half way into the book and was still waiting for something momentous to happen. I found the story to be really heart wrenching Sadly, I was just happy to finish reading it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews